Believing
by balletlover
Summary: "What's there to explain, Granger? Isn't it enough for me to tell you that somehow or other, I ended up liking you and all this stuff I believed in ended up out the window all because of you?" 7th year Post war. Oneshot better than it seems, songfic-ish


**HEY! Sorry for the long wait between stories, I haven't been in a writing mood for a long time**

**Thanks to those who reviewed on my last story I really appreciate it!**

**Disclaimer: Not mine... just the plot, not the characters, setting and other things you recognize including the song which by the way is "The Only Exception" by Paramore  
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Hermione sat in the head's common room peacefully reading a book. They had all come back to repeat their 7th year because the ministry decided that they did not get a proper education during the war. Everyone had to repeat the year they were supposed to be taking the year Harry defeated Voldemort.

Hermione was enjoying the silence until the head boy came in slamming the portrait door closed. He was obviously fuming. She looked at him and glared.

"What's your problem, Malfoy?" she asked. Although their relationship had improved somewhat and they were no longer trying to kill each other whenever the other was in sight, they weren't exactly friends.

"Parkinson's my problem!" Draco half yelled.

"What did she do this time?" Hermione asked consolingly. Though they weren't on the best of terms, both of them had made more effort to get along more, though most of the improvement was shown only within their shared head's dorm.

"She thinks I bloody love her! I don't believe in love!" he ranted.

"Why not?" Hermione asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.

"Love is for weak fools" he said.

"On the contrary Malfoy, love is what saved Harry from Voldemort more than once" Hermione pointed out.

"But love can kill you!" Draco argued.

"That's true, but it's different. It's called sacrificing" she pointed out.

"Whatever. I still don't believe in love" he told her, heading to his room.

"You probably won't until you meet the right person" she muttered.

The next few days went on as if that short conversation hadn't happened. Hermione was even beginning to think she imagined it.

About 2 weeks later Hermione was doing homework in their common room when Draco came in from Quidditch practice looking furious.

"What's wrong with you now?" Hermione asked not looking up from her almost finished essay.

"Nothing!" he yelled.

"If it's nothing then why are you so angry?" she asked, still writing.

"Just leave me alone Granger!" he told her glaring at her and going to his room.

She didn't mind him. She was used to this kind of behavior from him. He slammed his door shut. Even if the door was shut though, Hermione still heard him yell in frustration.

The following days, Draco avoided Hermione, or so it seemed to her. Whenever he was in their common room and she would come in he would retreat to his room, usually slamming the door behind him.

When she entered the Great Hall at meal times she noticed he would be talking to Blaise and sitting as far from Pansy as possible.

After 2 weeks of this strange behavior, Hermione became fed up. She just came in from the library and saw Draco sitting on the couch staring at nothing in particular. As soon as he noticed her presence he got up and went into his room shutting the door.

Hermione followed him and knocked on his door.

"What do you want, Granger?" he asked without opening the door.

"To talk to you!" she told him. She opened the door and went in.

"What?" Draco demanded when he saw that she was in his room.

"Look, I just want to know why you've been avoiding me" she said.

"I'm not avoiding you" he said.

"So why is it that whenever I enter a room you happen to leave, or why you've become so distant lately?" she asked in a sarcastic tone.

"You make it sound as if we were great friends" Draco muttered.

"Well...?" she said impatiently.

"Let's just say that it's your fault I don't know what to believe anymore!" he said.

"Can you expound a little more?" she asked trying to keep calm.

"You! You defy everything I was taught as a child! And now everything I believed in went out the window just like that and it's all your fault" he told her glaring.

"Is this about your 'I don't believe in love' issue again?" she asked, a slight smile on her lips.

"NO! Just leave me alone!" he yelled suddenly defensive.

"You know you never did explain your reason for not believing in love properly..." Hermione mused ignoring him.

"If I tell you will you go away?" Draco asked warily.

"I suppose..." she said.

"It's a long story, I suggest you sit down if I'm going to tell you" he said making space for her to sit down on the bed. She sat and motioned for him to start.

"You are not to repeat this to anyone got that, Granger?" he asked. She nodded.

"Well as I said a few weeks ago, love is for weak fools. Even my own father was weak because of love. It was the only time I ever saw him cry. It was when the dark lord threatened to kill my mother. Contrary to popular belief, my father did love my mother and it made him weak. He died at the hand of my uncle Rodolphus, his last words were for my mother" Draco said quietly.

Hermione put her hand on his back, he looked close to tears. She knew Lucius had died over the summer but Draco had never shown how much it had affected him. He took a deep breath and continued his story.

"My mother swore she wouldn't forget it. It was the day he died that I promised myself I would never fall in love. I never wanted to fall in love because it always seems to end in tragedy: death, break ups, it never lasts! Everyone somehow or other has to deal with it! And until recently, I've been fine with it because love isn't worth it, it's not worth risking everything for!" he told her.

"Then how am I a part of this?" Hermione asked.

"I never said you were!" he said.

"Then why do you get so defensive every time I ask?"

"Stop being such a know-it-all"

"So it IS related to me!"

"... Yes, are you happy now?" he asked sarcastically.

She raised an eyebrow at him. "Explain" she demanded.

"What's there to explain, Granger? Isn't it enough for me to tell you that somehow or other, I ended up liking you and all this stuff I believed in ended up out the window all because of you?" he asked.

Hermione's eyes widened from shock. "... That's why you've been avoiding me?"

"Can you just shut up and leave?" he asked sounding annoyed.

She laughed. "No, what if I told you I felt the same?"

"You don't believe in love now either?" he asked smirking

"No, you prat, I meant that I like you too" she said grinning.

It was his turn to be shocked. Hermione took advantage of it and kissed him. When the shock of what she had said and the kiss had worn out, he returned the kiss. They broke apart grinning.

"Promise me this isn't some sick joke and that in the morning when I wake up it wasn't all just another dream" Draco said pulling her closer to him.

"Don't worry, if you do think that I'll find some way to prove to you it isn't" Hermione whispered.

"Good"

Hermione got up and started to walk to the door.

"You aren't leaving are you?" Draco asked.

"Of course not, I'm going to bed" she told him.

"Without saying goodnight?"

"Goodnight"

"Goodnight, Granger. I think I love you" he said smirking.

"I see you're finally staring to believe" she said.

"No I don't think I am... But I'd be happy to make an exception" he teased.

She smiled before walking back and kissing him on the cheek.

"Love you Draco" she said.

"I love you too, Hermione" he whispered in her ear.

Hermione smiled to herself; he was definitely on his way to believing.

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**Thanks for reading! Review please!**

**I don't mind criticism just please tell me exactly how to improve! I don't mind anonymous reviews either, but if you're just going to tell me it was terrible or something like that please don't bother.  
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**Thanks to nature love 95 for always reading and reviewing and to It'sawhisper for helping me improve, I hope I did it right this time.**

**I have a question: What do you put for the characters if the main part of the story is Draco/Hermione but it has several mentions of Rose/Scorpius and since Rose exists, Ron/Hermione? Are the main characters still Draco/Hermione?**

**REVIEWS = AWESOMENESS!  
**


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